The five-year deal will see Johnston Press print the Monday to Saturday issues of the Daily Mail newspaper at its Portsmouth Web facility in Hampshire.

Associated Newspapers is moving the print contract to Trinity Mirror following the closure announcement last December of its DMG Media print facility at Didcot.

Edinburgh-based Johnston Press said the Daily Mail print contract “will serve the entire South West” and its Portsmouth Web facility is “well positioned to meet the delivery requirements of the newspapers”.

This new contract adds to a 12-month rolling contract won last October to print the Metro for the southern regions at the Portsmouth Web site.

Johnston Press chief executive Ashley Highfield said: “We are delighted to win this new business on top of the Metro contract just recently won and this further confirms our printing services division as one of the best in the country.

“This latest long term contract will give the staff a real boost and their ability to deliver such prestigious titles against very tough competition is a great reflection on the business.”

Shares in Johnston Press were up 1,5 per cent in early Wednesday trading.

Johnston Press also prints copies of the Daily/Sunday Express, the Daily/Sunday Star, The Guardian and Observer in Ireland, some Trinity Mirror regional titles and some Tindle Newspaper titles.